The voice on the other end of the line was unmistakable. It was Ivy.


    Her tone was steady, with a faint huskiness that made it unforgettable after just one listen.


    Ophelia wasn''t the least bit surprised by the call.


    Considering how her and Phoebe''s ns had failed, it was only a matter of time before Ivy reached out.


    "Alright, name the ce." Ophelia agreed without hesitation, ncing at the time on her wristwatch.


    11


    "You should already know where I''m staying. I''ll be waiting for you at the rooftop restaurant. I don''t want Keh to know about this meeting. You know what to do," she added. "Understood." Ophelia nodded.


    Ophelia had wanted to talk to Ivy alone anyway.


    As soon as the call ended, Keh''s name shed on her screen


    His deep, pleasant voice carried through the phone. "Still at Carnegie Vi?"


    "Yes... Yes, you go ahead and eat lunch without me. I''ll be back a littleter," said Ophelia.


    "Don''t humor him too much. He''ll start pushing his luck." Keh''s displeasure was evident. Chess games weren''t enough


    and now Theo wanted Ophelia to stay for lunch too.


    Ophelia chuckled lightly. "Alright... next time,e with me. He wouldn''t dare overstep then."


    ''Sorry about that, Grandpa. I''m throwing you under the bus here, Ophelia wondered.


    Half an hourter, Ophelia arrived at the rooftop restaurant of Evend Hotel.


    From a distance, she spotted a woman in an elegant dark red dress sitting by the window.


    Her poise was impable, making it nearly impossible to guess her age from this angle.


    The rooftop restaurant was exclusive to guests staying in the hotel suites, so it was practically empty.


    Ophelia approached and took the seat across from Ivy.


    Today, she had opted for a more casual look since she had been meeting Theo earlier, steering away from her usual sharp, professional style.


    "What can I do for you, Ms. Lawrence?" Ophelia got straight to the point, wasting no time on pleasantries.


    Ophelia had no desire to linger in Ivy''spany, especially now that Ophelia fully understood Ivy''s identity as Pharmacology Queen.


    Having mastered poisons and concoctions, Ivy was formidable. If not for the antidote Ronin had prepared, Ophelia might not have dared to meet her at all.


    "Well done. At least you didn''t call me Ivy right away. You know your ce," she mocked.


    A smirk yed on Ivy''s crimson lips as her gaze swept over Ophelia with an air of superiority. She made it clear she didn''t see Ophelia as a threat.


    Mon, Nov


    Ophelia chuckled faintly, though the smile didn''t reach her eyes


    "The food here is decent. Care to try some? I didn''t poison it, and I don''t n to gift you poison in a ce like this." Ivy emphasized thest few words as if to say, "You''re not even worth the effort Ophelia nced at her wristwatch, signaling her impatience.


    "I just ate. There''s no need for this conversational forey. Let''s get to the point. Are you offering me 1.5 million dors to leave Keh?" she began.


    After all, that was how these things always went in dramas.


    "Well, aren''t you quite theedian," Ivy said, setting her fork down and dabbing her lips with a napkin, her movements graceful.


    "Even if it''s not, the goal is the same, isn''t it?" she added. "Such a smart girl."


    Ivy''s smile bore an uncanny resemnce to Keh''s mother''s, but her eyes held something entirely different.


    She enjoyed dealing with clever people. "Would you like to hear Keh''s story?"


    "What if I said no?" Ophelia smiled.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Her response broke from expectations, causing Ivy''s brow to furrow. "You''re not interested in learning about Keh?"


    "I just don''t want to hear it from you." Ophelia shrugged.


    Ophelia already knew what she needed to know.


    Whatever came from Ivy''s lips would hardly be unbiased.


    "Humph..." Ivy''s gaze lifted slightly as she began to scrutinize Ophelia properly for the first time.


    Her features were bold yet delicate, her appearance strikingly innocent yet undeniably captivating. Keh''s taste in women was impable.


    ''It seems I have underestimated her,'' Ivy wondered.


    Ophelia was far more difficult to deal with than Ivy had anticipated.


    A tense atmosphere filled the space between them, invisible sparks flying across the table. The mood was anything but pleasant.


    After a brief silence, Ophelia broke the stillness. "What you''re nning to tell me is nothing more than how Keh worked his way to where he is today, doing everything for revenge against those who wronged his mother. "My presence has disrupted his ns for revenge and indirectly interfered with yours, hasn''t it?"


    She leaned forward slightly, her eyes sharp. "But what intrigues me more is... what exactly did Victor do back then? Or perhaps... the story between him and you two."


    Ivy''s expression darkened instantly. Ophelia hadpletely exceeded her expectations.


    "What do you mean?" she asked.


    "Exactly what it sounds like." Ophelia smiled.


    Call it a woman''s intuition, but Ophelia felt there was something peculiar about Ivy''s hatred for Victor.


    11:07 Mon, Nov 25 44 B


    Even her maniption of Keh seemed unlike what a blood rted aunt would do.


    That obsessive hatred likely stemmed from something deeper, something personal. Perhaps... love turned into hate.


    Ivy leaned back in her chair, her gaze now firmly locked on Ophelia. "You''re clever but overly clever women don''t tend to meet good ends. I''ll give you a choice, your life or Keh''s?" "Both." Ophelia''s reply was swift and resolute.


    "Are you sure? Unfortunately for you, Keh..." Ivy began.


    "Ophelia!" A low, icy voice cut through Ivy''s words.


    Ophelia''s spine stiffened. ''Keh?'' she wondered.


    She turned her head and saw a tall,manding figure entering the restaurant.


    The man''s face, as striking as ever, carried an ominous darkness, his sharp eyes narrowed.


    His entire demeanor radiated a chilling intensity as he strode toward her in long, deliberate steps.


    He looked at her as if he wanted to consume her.


    Without saying a word, Keh grabbed Ophelia''s wrist and yanked her to her feet. The pressure of his grip sent a sharp jolt of pain through her, and she frowned deeply.


    His gaze was icy and murderous as it fixed on Ivy, who remained seated across the table..


    Keh didn''t utter a single word to her. Instead, he turned and began walking out, dragging Ophelia along with him.


    "Keh!" Ivy''s voice rang out as she rose from her chair.


    Keh paused, turning his head slightly. A hint of bloodthirsty malice flickered in his cold eyes. "I warned you onest time. Don''t touch her. Or I won''t guarantee what I''ll do next."


    Without waiting for a reply, he continued out of the restaurant with Ophelia.


    Ophelia''s wrist was held tightly by him as if he wanted to crush her bones.


    In the elevator, descending to the ground floor, the air felt suffocatingly heavy.


    "Ophelia, your guts are getting bigger, aren''t they? You dared to lie to me?" his tone was cold.


    Ophelia stayed silent, knowing full well she was in the wrong.


    "Did you not understand what I said? I told you to be careful of her. And you? You ran straight to meet her! Are you just offering yourself up? Do you think you''re going to be lucky every single time? Yes?" he roared. Staring down at her shoes, Ophelia kept her head low.


    "Say something." Keh''s hand tilted her chin upward, forcing her to meet his furious, deep-set eyes.


    "Kennie, don''t be mad," she coaxed softly, attempting to cate him.


    "I''m not mad." Keh retorted, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I''m just so bored I decided to chase after you!"